类星体3C286在λ18厘米的联合阵图像

本文给出类星体3C286在λ18厘米的MERLIN图像、VLBI图像和MERLIN＋VLBI图像．呈现在MERLIN图像上的低亮度的结构在MERLIN VLBI联合阵的图像上基本被分解，仅留下一些支离破碎的痕迹．MERLIN＋VLBI图像的中央部分比VLBI图像有更长的延伸．MERLIN＋VLBI图像的动态范围好于1000：1，但没有搜索到反向喷流．我们提出了几种可能的模式对所得到的结构进行解释．     

The radio structure of 1803+784

We report on the progress of world array VLBI observations of the BL Lac object 1803+784 performed at λ=18 cm. A 16-station VLBI array, plus the phased VLA, and the 7-station MERLIN array simultaneously observed the source for 11 hours. These observations provide images of the transition region between the misaligned milliarcsecond- and arcsecond-jet. We show the MERLIN map and a combined full-array map at medium resolution. In addition we describe the present status of short-cm VLBI observations of this source.     

A new quadruple gravitational lens system: CLASS B0128+437

High-resolution MERLIN observations of a newly discovered four-image gravitational lens system, B0128+437, are presented. The system was found after a careful re-analysis of the entire CLASS data set. The MERLIN observations resolve four components in a characteristic quadruple-image configuration; the maximum image separation is 542 mas and the total flux density is 48 mJy at 5 GHz. A best-fitting lens model with a singular isothermal ellipsoid results in large errors in the image positions. A significantly improved fit is obtained after the addition of a shear component, suggesting that the lensing system is more complex and may consist of multiple deflectors. The integrated radio spectrum of the background source indicates that it is a gigahertz peaked spectrum source. It may therefore be possible to resolve structure within the radio images with deep VLBI observations and thus to constrain the lensing mass distribution better.     

Phase-reference mapping of a weak-cored double-lobed source in the 1636+473 system using MERLIN and Global VLBI

We present maps and astrometric results from first epoch, simultaneous MERLIN and Global VLBI observations of the very weak core of a double-lobed radio source, using as reference the bright, compact, flat-spectrum quasar 1636+473 A, 20 arcsec away. The observations were made in May 1995 at 5 GHz. The phase-referenced VLBI map of the weak core, of resolution 1.5 mas, contains a high percentage of the core flux density seen in the MERLIN map. Further hybrid mapping iterations reveal a faint, one-sided core extension on the same side as the MERLIN jet. We explore the effect of both temporal and other coherence losses on the phase-reference map. We relate our results to the structural asymmetry in weak AGN cores within the context of unification models.     

High resolution imaging of the Hubble Deep and Flanking Fields

42 hours of A-array VLA data and 18 days MERLIN data at 1.4 GHz have been combined to image a 10 arcminute field centred on the Hubble Deep Field (HDF). This area encloses both the Hubble Deep and Flanking Fields. A complete sample of 87 sources have been detected with flux densities above 40 μJy. All these have been imaged with the MERLIN+VLA combination to produce images with 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 arcsecond resolution. These are the most sensitive 1.4 GHz images yet made with rms noise levels of 3.3 μJy/beam in the 0.2 arcsecond images. About 70% of the microJy sources are found to be starburst type systems associated with major disk galaxies in the redshift range 0.4–1. Some 20% are found to be low-luminosity AGN systems identified with field ellipticals at redshifts close to 1. The remaining 10% are associated with optically faint systems close to or beyond the HDF limit; many of these may be dust-shrouded starbursts at high redshift. We propose to extend this study to include VLBI data of comparable sensitivity to investigate the compact radio structures found in the microJy source population.     

Interferometer phase calibration sources — III. The regions +20 ≤ δ B1950 ≤ + 35° and +75 ≤ δ B1950 ≤ + 90°

We present a catalogue of 540 compact radio sources in the declination ranges +20 ≤ δ _B1950 ≤ + 35° and +75 ≤ δ _B1950 ≤ + 90°, the positions of which have been measured to an rms accuracy of about 55 mas with the Very Large Array (VLA). These sources are primarily intended for use as phase calibration sources for MERLIN. However, they will also be suitable as phase calibrators for the VLA and can be considered as candidate phase calibrators for very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) networks.     

EGRET检测到的γ射线活动星系核的射电图像

研究表明活动星系核的高能γ射线辐射和低频射电辐射有着某些内在的联系。ＥＧＲＥＴ已检测到６６ 颗可信度很高的活动星系核。而这些高能的活动星系核有部分缺少足够的射电图象观测。为研究这些河外剧变源的射电辐射性质及致密结构,并研究活动量系核射电喷流弯曲与高能辐射的内在联系。我们利用国际欧洲ＶＬＢＩ网,英国的ＭＥＲＬＩＮ 和美国的ＶＬＡ对近２０ 颗γ射线活动星系核进行了观测。本文给出部分高能γ射线活动星系核在８ ．５ＧＨｚ的ＶＬＡ 观测图象。     

南天区20个河外射电源的VLBI研究

本文报道南天区5GHzVLBI普查式观测结果．首次观测是在1992年11月期间进行的，共观测了23个河外射电源，获得了20个河外射电源的VLBI高分辨率的射电图象．有15个射电源呈现核喷流结构，1个有双向喷流，3个未分解，末发现有致密观源．在16个核喷流（包括一个双向喷流源）源中有11个呈现弯曲喷流现象．此外还首次发现有3个源中可能有超光速运动现象．     

A VLBI study of 20 southern extragalactic radio sources

This paper describes a 5 GHz VLBI survey in the southern hemisphere. The first observation of 23 extragalactic radio sources was conducted in November 1992. Twenty VLBI images were obtained, of which 15 sources show core-jet structure, one has a two-sided jet, and three sources are unresolved. No compact double source was found. Eleven of the 16 sources with core-jet (including a two-aided jet) show evidence of jet bending. In addition, four sources appear to be superluminal, of which three sources are new.     

A VLBI and MERLIN Survey of faint,compact radio sources

We present preliminary results from a VLBI survey at λ=6 cm of a sample of 35 sources with flux densities of 2–100 mJy. These sources were selected from the VLA FIRST survey at λ=20 cm, in a 3 degree field around the bright calibrator 1156+295, simply by imposing S₂₀>10 mJy and θ<5 arcsec. MERLIN observations at λ6 cm detected 70/127 of these sources with a threshold of 2 mJy at 50 mas resolution and the closest 35 of these to the calibrator were observed with the VLBA+EVN in snapshot mode at λ6 cm. These sources are a mixture of flat and steep-spectrum sources and include: weak flat-spectrum nuclei of large radio galaxies, low power AGN in nearby galaxies and radio quiet quasars. With these short observations, the sensitivity is limited and most appear as either core-jets or simple point sources on the milliarcsec scale. Nonetheless, it is encouraging that with only 10 minutes observation per source, at least 35% of all sources with S₂₀>10 mJy can be detected and imaged with global 6 cm VLBI.     

Interferometer phase calibration sources — II. The region 0° ≤ δB1950≤ +20°

We present a catalogue of 781 compact radio sources in the declination range 0° ≤ δ_B1950≤ +20° whose positions have been measured to an rms accuracy of about 14 mas with the Very Large Array (VLA). These sources are primarily intended for use as phase calibration sources for the Jodrell Bank MERLIN. However, they will also be suitable as phase calibrators for the VLA and can be considered as candidate phase calibrators for very long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) networks.     

High Resolution Radio Observations of Luminous IR Galaxies

High resolution radio observations provide a unique tool for investigation ofultraluminous infrared galaxies, due to the combination of high angularresolution and source transparency available at centimeter wavelengths. Thetypical angular size of the IR emitting region in the most luminous systems isof order 0.1 arcsec, while dust absorption appears to obscure this region fromdirect view at wavelengths shorter than 100 microns. Radio observationswith VLBI and MERLIN are revealing compact radio structures indicative of bothstarburst and AGN activity in these systems. Additional observations arerequired to clarify relationships between radio structures and the energygeneration mechanisms, and to realize the full potential of radio interferometryfor ULIRG studies.     

Multifrequency method for mapping active galactic nuclei with allowance for the frequency-dependent image shift

We consider the problem of multifrequency VLBA image synthesis and spectral-index mapping for active galactic nuclei related to the necessity of taking into account the frequency-dependent image shift. We describe our generalized multifrequency synthesis algorithm with a spectral correction based on the maximum entropy method. The results of our processing of multifrequency VLBI data for the radio sources J2202+4216, J0336+3218, and J1419+5423 are presented.     

Phaseless VLBI mapping of compact extragalactic radio sources

The problem of phaseless aperture synthesis is of current interest in phase-unstable VLBI with a small number of elements when either the use of closure phases is not possible (a two-element interferometer) or their quality and number are not enough for acceptable image reconstruction by standard adaptive calibration methods. Therefore, we discuss the problem of unique image reconstruction only from the spectrum magnitude of a source. We suggest an efficient method for phaseless VLBI mapping of compact extragalactic radio sources. This method is based on the reconstruction of the spectrum magnitude for a source on the entire UV plane from the measured visibility magnitude on a limited set of points and the reconstruction of the sought-for image of the source by Fienup's method from the spectrum magnitude reconstructed at the first stage. We present the results of our mapping of the extragalactic radio source 2200+420 using astrometric and geodetic observations on a global VLBI array. Particular attention is given to studying the capabilities of a two-element interferometer in connection with the putting into operation of a Russian-made radio interferometer based on Quasar RT-32 radio telescopes.     

活动星系和类星体中的喷流（Ⅰ）

自从人们获得河外射电源的第一个结构图像以来，３０多年时间已经过去了。在这段时间的后半期，人们对许多源中的喷流状结构作了大量研究。目前，我们正在分析所获得的有关喷流的第一代结果。这包括高分辨率观测，数值模拟和理论研究等诸方面的成就。在本文 详细地讨论河外射电源中的喷流。     

PKS 1117+146: a new large compact symmetric object

We present 23-GHz MERLIN observations of the high-luminosity radio galaxy PKS 1117+146. The radio image obtained from these data shows, for the first time, a central weak component (designated C) that we identify as the core of the radio galaxy, and two outer components (designated N and S) which are the hotspots of the extended lobes observed at lower frequencies. Extended emission in components C and S is an indication of a possible jet connecting the core to the strongest component. The overall optical and radio properties of PKS 1117+146 are consistent with the source being classified as a compact symmetric object (CSO). We discuss this hypothesis, which would make PKS 1117+146 the largest CSO known so far.     

The circumstellar envelope of VX Sgr

By use of the data for VLBI observation of SiO masrs, and MERLIN observation of H₂O and OH masers of VX Sgr, we found that the SiO, H₂O, OH 1665/7, OH 1612 masers occur on a few separated shells, and the order of magnitude of the radii of their corresponding shells is 10¹⁴, 10¹⁵, 10¹⁶ cm, respectively. The field of the expanding velocity of the shells is obtained. It is important to note ice-layer covers on the surface of dust and grain for outlayer envelopes.     

VLBI and VLA observations of intraday polarization variability in 0917+624 and 0954+658

Total intensity and polarization λ =6 cm Very Large Array (VLA) and global very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) images of the quasar 0917+624 and the BL Lacertae object 0954+658 (both at epoch 1991.43) are analysed. Integrated measurements using the VLA during the VLBI observations indicated that, although there were no substantial total intensity variations, there were significant polarization variations for both sources during the 24-h VLBI experiment. The VLBI data were divided into 2–3 h segments in order to try to identify corresponding rapid variability in the VLBI structure. This analysis revealed intraday variability (IDV) in the VLBI core of 0917+624: both the polarized flux and the polarization position angle varied substantially on time-scales of ∼5–10 h. There is evidence that the VLA polarization variations for 0954+658 occurred in an inner VLBI jet component, where the polarized flux varied by ∼30–40 per cent on time-scales of ∼2 h. 0917+624 and 0954+658 were observed together with 0716+714, an object that also displayed IDV in the polarized flux density measured during our experiment (analysed in a separate paper). These three sources were targeted for the VLBI observations since they had been previously identified as intraday variables, but we had no way of knowing whether they would vary during our observations. The fact that all three exhibited IDV in polarization (but not in total intensity) during our experiment suggests that polarization IDV occurs frequently in at least some IDV sources.     

New merlin observations of OH/IR stars: OH357.31-1.33 and OH0.9+1.3

We present recent radio interferometer measurements of the OH 1612 MHz maser emission from the OH/IR sources OH0.9+1.3 and OH357.31 obtained with the enhanced MERLIN. Some preliminary results are briefly discussed. These results are part of an on-going observational campaign to obtain the best radio maps of bright OH/IR stars with MERLIN, VLA and VLBA, in order to understand the nature and dynamics of their circumstellar matter and evolution.     

Evidence for parsec-scale absorption from VSOP observations of the BL Lacertae object 0735+178

VLBI total intensity and linear polarization images of the BL Lacertae object 0735+178 have been obtained at     using the     VLA as a ground array together with the HALCA orbiting antenna, and at     about a month later using the VLBA. The most surprising result to come from a comparison of these two images, which have nearly equivalent resolution, is that the path of the jet appears to be appreciably different at the two wavelengths. We have interpreted this as evidence for free–free absorption to the east of the core, near a bend of about 90° in the 2-cm image where the emission is very weak in the 6-cm image. Overall, the polarization structures seen in corresponding regions at the two wavelengths are in good agreement. We find tentative evidence for enhanced rotation measures near two sharp bends in the VLBI jet.